Jinbutsu Hanasu no Jutsu
by Everything In Its Right Place
Summary: An unexpected encounter leaves Naruto with three Sasukes to deal with. Saki-chan Universe, NaruSasu, cross-dressing
1. Prologue

Hey everyone. This is my first chaptered Naruto story. It is also my first chaptered yaoi story. I've been totally obsessed with this fandom (NaruSasu) for over a year. After reading a ridiculous amount of awesome stories, I felt that it was time to try my hand at it. This story is a sequel of sort based on Lace and Strawberries by Asuka kureru. You have to go to adultfanfiction to find it. If you don't read it, you might be a little lost, but you should be able to catch on pretty quick. The premise of this story came from a killer RK story I read about 6 years ago called Prism. I thought it would work perfectly with the Saki-chan universe.

Warnings: M/M, NaruSasu, language, possible sex in future chapters, cross-dressing, slight ooc (but in character for the Saki-chan universe). If you are adverse to any of this, don't read it. You won't like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

Note: Jinbutsu hanasu no jutsu roughly translates to personality splitting jutsu

**Prologue**

_Shit_

Naruto dodged as yet another kunai flew past his ear. He glanced back just in time to see Shikamaru deflect a flurry of shuriken with some of his own and make a hard left. Naruto continued forward, his feet barely making contact with the branches before he propelled himself off of them again.

_Shit, shit, shit._

It was supposed to be a difficult mission. He knew that. Why else would Tsunade send four of her elite jounin to do something as seemingly simple as collecting a scroll? But the scroll was already in their possession, safely tucked away in Neji's thigh pouch. They had killed their pursuers two days earlier, and there hadn't been any indication that more were on their way. Naruto had already been basking in the satisfaction of a job well done and was in the middle of declaring it loudly to Sasuke with a mouth full of instant ramen when they were quite suddenly attacked. Thanks to Neji's quick assessment with Byakugan, they realized that they were surrounded by enemies. At least thirty men were coming at them from every side. Shikamaru quickly gave the order for his team to retreat by going up into the trees of the surrounding forest and back in the general direction of Konoha. Naruto was unnerved. He hadn't sensed the intruders at all. He let himself drop to a lower branch and heard the distinct sound of five more projectiles landing in the place he had just been. His eyes narrowed as he let his senses move outward in hopes of finding out exactly where his pursuers were. He felt a small spark to the left that he recognized as Shikamaru. Farther to the right and up some was the clean crispness of Neji's chakra. Behind him by about fifty feet was the dark feeling that must have been Sasuke.

_Why can't I sense them?_

He blocked a kick aimed at his head with the back of his hand before twisting sideways and delivering a solid kick of his own to his attacker's side, sending the man hurtling through the trees. Another took the man's place with a kunai drawn and ready to slice into Naruto. A substitution left the man with nothing more than a block of wood. The blond jounin was rapidly coming to the conclusion that the men after them were not ninja. They fought with ninja weapons and something almost comparable to ninja speed, but there was something else extremely wrong about them. There had been two men right next to him, but he wouldn't have known it if he hadn't seen them. Naruto allowed the fox demon chakra he controlled to flow into his other senses. The forest instantly became louder, the sounds of feet bounding off of branches and weapons whipping through the air pounding in his ears. The haze of twilight became brighter, illuminating the leaves around him. He sniffed the air lightly, and almost fell off of the branch he had just alighted on.

_I have to tell the others!_

Following the strong feel of Neji's chakra, he quickly caught up to the dark haired man, taking out 3 more enemies on his way. With his heightened senses, he was easily able to confirm his suspicions as his fists connected with his foes.

"They're dead!" he called frantically to Neji.

"What?" White eyes were on him while he simultaneously threw some shuriken to the right through the trees, presumably to dispatch yet another of their attackers.

"They're dead," Naruto repeated, "I can smell death everywhere. It must be some kind of jutsu or something." Neji nodded firmly, and Naruto suddenly felt very stupid. Neji had probably known that they were dead from the beginning since he was able to see chakra channels.

_He could have told me_, he thought with a small inward pout.

"We must reach the person controlling them before Sasuke does. This way, about 30 meters ahead." Naruto started at that. Sasuke would be able to help them. He was their teammate. He had betrayed the village when he was only thirteen, but that was a long time ago. He had been a loyal Konoha ninja for years. What could Neji possibly be thinking? Before he could ask, they came upon a clearing, and Naruto found out for himself. Standing in the middle was the man Naruto hated most in the world. It was his fault that the blond had to suffer through the trauma of his best friend leaving him and the long hunt to get him back. It was his fault that his most precious person hid all of his emotions deep under his hard shell, and would only let Naruto love him when he was covered in lace skirts and striped stockings and pretending to be someone else.

"Itachi," he hissed, voice clearly conveying just how much he loathed the older man. In the blink of an eye, Itachi was in front of Neji.

Naruto was momentarily stunned as he watched Neji crumple to the ground in a heap from the lighting fast blow that was delivered to his neck.

_I'll be fine,_ he assured himself. _Just don't look into his eyes. No one has more experience fighting a Sharingan wielder than me._

The blond took a deep breath as he prepared to charge the elder Uchiha, eyes firmly on the man's feet. Abruptly, he felt all of his muscles stop responding to him. It felt very much like Shikamaru's Kagemane jutsu, and his eyes darted around, hoping desperately that it was.

"Did you forget that the Akatsuki travels in pairs?" asked a high shrill voice that very obviously came from the red haired woman standing on the opposite end of the clearing. Desperation set in as Naruto tried everything he could think of to break the hold she had over him. Unable to even budge, he was could only look toward the left when he heard the inhuman roar that accompanied Sasuke's arrival on the scene. Naruto silently begged whatever higher power there was to free him, to give him this one thing in return for all crap he had been through. Sasuke might have been able to take out Itachi if he only had him as an opponent, but with two against him and his only available help bound or passed out, he barely stood a chance even being as powerful as he was.

"I'll kill you!"

"Ren! Now!" Naruto watched in horror as the woman binding him started performing a long series of seals that would implement whatever plan they had formed. Time seemed to slow down as Naruto saw the momentary indecision in Sasuke's eyes before he began to run toward Naruto.

"Jinbutsu hanasu no jutsu!" There were arms around him; then, a bright white light encompassed everything. The binding jutsu was unexpectedly released, and Naruto stumbled backwards, catching himself before he fell. Smoke filled the small clearing.

"Smoke bombs?" he questioned aloud.

"That's what it looks like." Naruto whipped around to see Shikamaru leaning against a nearby tree. He turned back around just as quickly when his brain reminded him that Sasuke had just saved him _again._ He knelt beside the unconscious form of his best friend and tried to shake him awake.

"Wake up, teme! What the fuck did you do that for? Wake up so I can kick your ass! You bastard, you didn't have to save me!"

"That's not normal," he heard Shikamaru remark from behind him.

"What's not?" He looked in the direction Shikamaru was pointing. Through the clearing smoke, they could see two more bodies lying on the ground, one significantly smaller than the other. Both were sporting the signature black crested hairdo of the youngest Uchiha as well as his remarkably pale skin.

"What the fuck?" Naruto shouted. He looked down as he felt the body beneath him stir.

"What the hell is going on, teme?"

"Naruto-kun?" The blond felt his heart plummet to his feet. That was not Sasuke's voice.

"Saki-chan?"

A/N: Well, there's the beginning. I've already outlined the whole story, and have written the next four chapters, so hopefully I will update soon. Let me know if you like it!


	2. Chapter 1

Okay, here's chapter one. A reminder: this story is about two men in love. One of the men likes to dress like a girl. At some point in the future of this story, there will likely be two men making out, perhaps even having sex. If this doesn't sound appealing to you, don't read this story. It will ruin your day.

**Chapter 1**

There was not a person in all of Konoha, ninja or civilian, who did not know about the charming and delicate Saki. Her style of dress, though a bit extravagant, suited her perfectly, and her gentle demure mannerisms easily won over every person she met. The only thing that the villagers disapproved of, it seemed, was her taste in romantic partners, for wherever Saki was, Naruto Uzumaki, the overly cheerful, loud prankster, was sure to be also. Rumors flooded the village as people speculated on why she would make such a foolish choice.

_Maybe he brainwashed her, the poor girl._

_It might be that she doesn't know the truth about what he is. Someone should really tell her._

_First Uchiha Sasuke starts spending time with him, and now Saki does too. He must be using some sort of jutsu._

It seemed the only reason for her decision that wasn't floating about in whispered hushes was the truth. Every ninja in the village knew but didn't dare say a word. If Sasuke wanted to waltz around town in corsets and heavy black boots and layers upon layers of lace sticking out of short skirts, they certainly weren't going to try to stop him. In fact, many of them preferred Saki to Sasuke. When clad in his jounin uniform, Sasuke was nothing short of the bastard Naruto so regularly proclaimed him to be. Saki's tiny gentle smile was preferable to Sasuke's acidic stare any day. Some of them found it unbelievable that they could be the same person, but it was an undeniable fact. It was because of this that Tsunade spit her sake all over the paperwork she had been working on most of the afternoon when Naruto burst into her office dragging not only a disgruntled dirty Sasuke, but a barely put together Saki and a child version of Sasuke as well.

"Baa-chan!" he yelled, slamming a palm on her desk, "Fix him!" He pointed his finger in the general direction of the Sasukes.

"What the hell is going on?" She stood and hastily wiped her mouth and chin. "Is this some kind of stupid joke? I don't have time for games, Naruto."

The blond opened his mouth to reply but was cut off as a livid Sasuke shoved him bodily out of the way to lean over the desk and into the Godaime's face. His eyes were narrowed into a glare icier than she had ever seen.

"This isn't one of the idiot's pranks. _He_ did this to me." The way Sasuke said it, as if it was the most disgusting word he could think of, left little doubt as to who exactly _he _was. She quickly made her way around the desk to face the four of them. Sasuke stood, straight as a board, face impassive but eyes glaring daggers. Beside him, Naruto was doing his best impression of a child that had accidentally broken his favorite toy. Saki was looking at the floor, clearly trying to avoid the mirror that hung on the far side of Tsunade's office. Her hair was pushed back with a piece of torn cloth that had obviously come from the black shirt under Naruto's vest, and lip gloss was smudged on her lips. She was noticeably uncomfortable in the jounin garb she had on. Tsunade wondered who had been carrying the lip gloss on their mission. Did Sasuke keep it in his pouch, hidden among razor sharp kunai and rolls of exploding tags? Did Naruto slide the tube into his pocket just in case the death and gore became too much, and Sasuke needed to be someone else for a while? She couldn't understand how the Uchiha could live that way, constantly at war within himself. A tiny sniffle brought her attention to the smallest member of the group. His clothes were far too big for him, but someone had rolled up the cuffs of his pants and belted them tight around his waist. His vest had been abandoned, and the sleeves of the regulation issue shirt, though also rolled up, hung past his fingertips.

"The red haired lady wasn't aiming for me. She was aiming for Naruto-nii with her Jinbutsu hanasu no jutsu." Tsunade raised an eyebrow at his choice of address, and Sasuke's glare dropped a few more degrees.

"I intercepted the jutsu. The dobe let himself get bound somehow, and I had to save him." Naruto whirled around to face him.

"You fucking bastard! I could have saved myself. I didn't need this to happen to your crazy ass!"

"Then why didn't you dodge it, usurakontachi. Why did you just stand there and watch it happen?" Naruto's face took on a decidedly red hue as his rage grew. His hands balled into fists at his sides, and he started to shake.

"Fuck you!" He was about to lunge forward but stopped when he felt a gentle touch on his arm.

"Please Naruto-kun. Please stop fighting. This isn't the time for that." For half a moment a small semblance of peace fell over the room, and Tsunade was grateful that Saki was around to calm things down. She immediately rescinded that thought though when Sasuke exploded at his other self.

"Shut up you stupid whore! You don't know anything!"

"Hey, teme! Don't talk to her like that."

"You useless piece of trash. Your opinion means nothing," he sneered at her. Saki closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"I said don't talk like that!" Tsunade grabbed Naruto's arm just before he punched Sasuke in the face.

"What is wrong with you two? Both of you just shut up!"

"If Naruto-nii was hit with this personality splitting jutsu, what do you think would've happened?" came a small voice from beside them. Four pairs of eyes widened as realization hit them. If Naruto had been hit, the Kyuubi would've been separated. That had to have been the Akatsuki's plan. They all could have easily died. Naruto blinked owlishly and slowly lowered his arm as Tsunade released him.

"Sasuke-chan," she said gently, getting down on one knee to be face to face with the tiny Uchiha and ignoring the unhappy sound from the taller angrier Sasuke, "let's not worry about that right now, okay. Here, let me have a look at you." She carefully scanned him before scanning the other two. Then she scanned all three again for good measure. She plopped back into her chair and let out a heavy sigh.

"I have no idea how to fix this," she said in a defeated voice.

"What? Baa-chan!"

"Sorry, Naruto. I'll work on it, but until I figure something out, you should all go home."

"I'm going after him," Sasuke said with firm finality. "I'll find him and destroy him." Tsunade laughed out loud.

"Are you kidding? Split into three? I need to get you whole again first." Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"I don't want to be a part of _that_," he pointed at Saki, and his voice dripped with venom, "ever again."

"You asshole!" Naruto was ready to beat his face in again.

"You are not to go after him, Sasuke. I order you to go home. Another betrayal will not be forgiven."

"Hn." Sasuke hands flew into seals. In a puff of smoke, he was gone as if he had never been there in the first place.

"That asshole!" Naruto yelled to no one in particular. Tsunade rubbed her temples.

"Naruto, I want you to stay with the… Uchihas until I figure this out. We don't know what else this jutsu may have done. And try to keep out of sight. I don't feel like dealing with the uproar a trio of Sasukes will cause." Naruto nodded firmly.

"Good. Now get out of my office."

"That stupid prick," Naruto muttered under his breath as he stuffed a few shirts into an overnight bag. He had returned to his apartment to collect some essentials before heading to the Uchiha estate. Saki and Sasuke-chan had gone ahead of him. He frowned as the picture of Team 7 he still kept on his nightstand caught his eye. He grabbed it and flopped down on the bed, running his free hand through his messy blond spikes and letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Why does everything about you have to be so complicated?" he asked the scowling picture of his rival, best friend, cross-dressing lover. The entire way back to Konoha after their frightening encounter with Itachi, Sasuke had glared at his alternate personality with unconcealed loathing. Saki had stared out blankly ahead of her, stopping every once in a while to readjust the clothing she was unhappily wearing. Sasuke-chan had ridden on Naruto's back, arms securely around his neck.

"Everything will be okay," the small boy had whispered into his ear. He wanted to believe him so badly. How could things be okay now? He had known that he was never to talk about Saki when Sasuke was being Sasuke, and never to talk about Sasuke when Sasuke was being Saki. He'd learned that the hard way. Every time he'd slipped up, and he could count those times on his fingers, in the ten years they'd been playing this twisted game, Sasuke wouldn't talk to him for at least a week. Then came a week of tenuous reconciliation in which Naruto had to prove he was sorry without actually saying so because that would just mean bringing it up again and starting all over.

Though admittedly a little slow on the uptake, Naruto didn't think he was a stupid man. He knew that it was important for reasons beyond his understanding that Sasuke feel like Saki was a totally different person. How could he have missed that Sasuke hated Saki? And why would he keep pretending if he did hate it? Was he doing it for Naruto? The blond hoped not. He would have much rather had Sasuke as Sasuke than the perfumed, made up, demure version that he was allowed. But he loved Sasuke unconditionally, though he'd never said it out loud, even to himself, so he would take what he could get, even if that meant pushing his hands through chiffon to get to Sasuke's skin or pretending that he didn't notice the dark bruises marring Saki's pale thighs because of the spar he and Sasuke had earlier in the day.

He sat back up and returned the picture to its place before grabbing his bag and heading out the door. When he arrived, he was greeted by Sasuke-chan and led to the kitchen table where they sat down together. He had changed into a black outfit Naruto vaguely remembered him wearing when they were at the Academy together.

"Saki is upstairs getting dressed. The Avenger was asleep when we got here." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"The Avenger?" He nodded his small head.

"That's what he calls himself. He says it over and over and over. He's afraid to forget about what happened."

"How could he forget?" Naruto asked, eyebrows knitted in confusion. Sasuke had only mentioned the massacre once before, just before he punched a hole through the blonde's chest. He felt simultaneously honored and nervous that he was learning more about the painful event that transformed Sasuke into the man he had become.

"He can't," Sasuke-chan replied simply. "There's no way we'll ever forget. But he's afraid anyway. It's the first thing he thinks everyday when we wake up. _'I will avenge my clan.'_ It makes it easier to deal with the nightmares. It's all he can ever think about. That's why Saki's around. She doesn't have to worry about that. She just has to look pretty and keep you happy."

"She doesn't have to do that." Naruto frowned. Sasuke-chan's feet didn't reach the floor. He seemed to find a strange sort of joy kicking his legs back and forth.

"Yes she does," he said, smiling, shedding his serious tone completely. "That's what lets her be Saki." Naruto's frown deepened. Even this new open kiddie Sasuke was hard to understand.

"Are you hungry, Naruto-kun?" came a voice from the doorway. Saki appeared to be much more at ease dressed in her usual attire, a purple petticoat under a long bell sleeved black dress. Black and white candy-cane stockings covered her unbooted feet. Her hair was carefully arranged, Sasuke's stubborn spikes flattened down. She was smiling softly, but her mascara had smudged and run down her cheeks slightly. Naruto stood abruptly and rushed over to her, taking her in his arms. He buried his nose in her neck, searching for Sasuke's smell where it hid beneath her scented oils.

"You don't hafta cook if you don't want to, babe." he mumbled into her skin. She raised a hand and let it ghost back and forth across his back.

"There's some leftover onigiri in the fridge. How's that?"

"My favorite!" Sasuke-chan cried. Naruto nodded his head, still breathing in her scent, Sasuke's scent. He returned to his seat, and she served them three rice balls a piece. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Sasuke-chan spoke up quietly.

"No matter how hard we try, we can never get them like Kaa-san used to make them."

The clinking sound of chopsticks falling onto a plate caused Sasuke-chan and Naruto to whip their heads toward Saki. Her face was hidden by the shadow of her bangs, but they could see the hand she had brought over mouth was trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "It's been a very long day. I must be more tired than I realized." She stood quickly and dashed off to bed leaving her chair pushed out and her half eaten dinner on the table. Naruto made to go after her, but tiny fingers entangled in his sleeve stopped him. He looked down into Sasuke-chan's black eyes. They were mature and knowing and didn't fit in with his young face. His stare was so deep that it held the blond jounin in place. He had glimpsed this depth only a few times before and only for a moment. He remembered thinking then _This is the real Sasuke._

"Don't go after her." Naruto didn't even contemplate arguing. Their gaze broke as Sasuke-chan hopped down from his seat and started toward the hall. Naruto followed without a word. When they reached an old dusty room, he helped the tiny Sasuke lay out the futon inside. He watched him snuggle his little body under the blankets and rest his head on the white pillow. He looked back toward Naruto, and the blond felt his heart clench inside his chest. He knelt down beside him and pulled the covers up higher, tucking him in like he had seen Tsunade do to children in the hospital. The boy smiled sweetly at him, his black eyes sparkling. They didn't radiate smugness or hatred or lust or embarrassment. There was a warmth there that Naruto had never seen from Sasuke.

"Don't worry," he said softly, "Tomorrow will be better, Naruto-nii. We'll figure this out. I just know it."

"Who are you?" Naruto whispered, stroking the pale cheek with the back of his hand. The boy yawned widely.

"Kaa-san said that Sasuke is Sasuke." Naruto closed his eyes to hold back the tears that had gathered there unnoticed.

"That's right, isn't it? Goodnight, Sasuke-chan." He rose and moved to the door.

"Goodnight, Naruto-nii," came the sleepy reply. Naruto slid the door shut behind him and made his way back to the kitchen. He cleared the table, washed the dishes, and put them out to dry on the counter. He walked into the living room and laid down on the couch. The cracks in the ceiling didn't hold his interest for long, so he closed his eyes despite not feeling as tired as he probably should have.

_Tomorrow will be better…_

A/N: Well, there's the first chapter. Please review, and tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes:** This chapter is really long, despite it being the shortest in the outline. I added a shopping scene cause it wouldn't leave me alone. The dream sequence came out of nowhere too. It was inspired by/calls back to the ending of the original story when Sasuke says _"... This is just a disguise. It's not real. Your... Your /girlfriend/ is not real." _I hope it's up to snuff. As always, please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter Two**

_They were dancing. There was no music, but still they were spinning and spinning. Their feet were gliding across the top of a dark watered lake sending ripples out in every direction. He couldn't see the shore, only black water meeting a black horizon. His hands were wrapped tightly around a thin waist. He couldn't see his partner's face, but he didn't need to. He knew who was out there in the emptiness with him._

"_Where are we?" he heard himself whisper._

"_Nowhere," came the soft response._

"_Saki-chan," he said in the same quiet voice._

"_No." They were still dancing. The tiny waves on the water began moving in increasingly erratic patterns, crossing each other, turning back, crossing again._

"_This is just a disguise," her breath was hot on his neck. "It's not real."_

_There was a loud banging and the water started to move violently, the ripples turning into crashing swells. He wanted to stop dancing, but this person kept him moving. She pulled him closer until it hurt, her arms a vice around him._

"_What's going on?" he cried. The world shook again, and he fell into the water, flailing for breath, his partner suddenly gone._

"Aah!" Naruto yelped from his place on the floor of the Uchiha living room.

"What the hell?" he grumbled as he simultaneously rubbed his sleep filled eyes and his sore hip. A knocking sound reverberated through the hall. He scrambled to his feet and made his way quickly to the front door, peeking out the peephole to make sure it wasn't some hopeful naïve girl with her arms full of presents. He'd seen that happen before personally, sixteen different times. Peering back at him was a single eye. He flung the door open.

"Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?" Despite the fact that they were the same rank, the blond had never been able to let go of the suffix. The same went for Iruka. Calling them sensei gave Naruto, subconsciously at least, a feeling of familiarity that was as close as he'd ever get to calling someone father. The older jounin walked past him into the house, leaving his shoes by the door.

"Tsunade sent me. She said that your team had an encounter with the Akatsuki yesterday." Naruto shut the door and followed Kakashi as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Yeah. They tried to use some weird jutsu on me." He sat down at the table across from his former teacher.

"To get the Kyuubi, I presume."

"Yeah, probably," Naruto replied, his voice and expression hard and somber.

"How is the rest of the team?"

"Shikamaru is fine. Neji is okay too. He just got knocked out. And Sasuke is…" He paused as he searched for the right words. _Split up? Three different people now? Way crazier than I realized?_

"Is?" Kakashi prompted.

"Is…"

"Just fine, thank you," came a sharp voice by the door. Sasuke was leaning on the jamb, arms crossed over his chest. His face sported the expression Naruto had dubbed _way too good to be talking to trash like you._ "What are you doing in my house, Kakashi?"

"Naruto let me in," the silver haired jounin replied, his visible eye crinkling in the way both of his students had long ago learned meant he was smiling beneath his mask. Sasuke turned his sharp gaze to the blond.

"Dobe," he hissed. It didn't sound like the pet name it had gradually become over the years, but held the tone and connotation it did when Sasuke had first said it to him. Naruto was surprised that after all the times he had heard it, it would suddenly hurt so much.

"That was very rude." Three pairs of eyes turned to see Saki standing behind him in the hall. Her glossy lips were turned downward. Her hands were gripping tightly to the front of her navy blue velvet skirt, wrinkling it and exposing the frilly slip underneath. "Kakashi-sensei is always welcome in my home, and Naruto-kun is _not_ a dobe." The faces of both Sasuke and Naruto turned red for different reasons. Sasuke was prevented from attempting to inflict physical harm on Saki by the hand that appeared quite abruptly on his shoulder, gripping it tightly.

"Ah. So it is true. How are you feeling this morning, Saki-chan?"

"I'm doing quite well. Thank you for asking, Kakashi-sensei." She made her way around Sasuke in a wide arc and sat at the table next to Naruto.

"Would you like something to eat or drink, Naruto-kun?"

"No thanks, babe," he said, smiling brightly and completely ignoring the growl emanating from Sasuke.

"Now then," said Kakashi his hold on the angry jounin unchanged, "isn't there another piece of you around here somewhere?"

"He's still sleeping," Saki answered, but as soon as the words left her mouth, a small cry of joy erupted from the hallway.

"Kakashi-sensei!" He barely had time to release Sasuke and brace himself before a small, black haired rocket launched itself into his arms. His eye was wide with surprise at the miniature Sasuke clinging to him.

"I missed you, Kakashi-sensei. You never come to see me anymore." The small boy pouted so adorably that the older man couldn't help but gush.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-chan. I didn't know you wanted me around." The boy shot a pint sized glare over Kakashi's shoulder at his taller counterpart.

"Well, I never really said it before, but you're really important to me Kakashi-sensei. I like it when you visit and train with me. It makes me happy."

"Well it makes me happy too." He set the boy down on the ground, and Sasuke snorted behind them.

"Stop acting like that," he demanded quietly. "It's foolish."

"Aww, Sasuke don't be like that. Little Sasuke-chan just likes having his charming and talented old sensei around, isn't that right?" He rested a gloved hand atop the boy's head and ruffled his dark hair.

"Right!" he said, wrapping his arms around the Copy ninja's leg and sticking his tongue out at Sasuke.

"Hn." Sasuke tossed his head to the side indignantly. Naruto laughed so hard he fell out of his chair. Even Saki was giggling. Kakashi took a knee to meet the young boy's eyes.

"Well don't you worry Sasuke-chan," he looked over to Sasuke pointedly, "I promise to come around more often. In fact," he continued as he straightened himself up, "That's why I came here today. Tsunade thinks it would be a good idea to test your skills to see what this jutsu may have affected. We have no idea what the Akatsuki is planning now that they're active again. They may come after Naruto at any time. We must be prepared for that."

"Let's go then. We can train while they eat breakfast," Sasuke turned toward the front door.

"Not so fast, Sasuke. Not just you. All of you will be training today."

"Even me?" Sasuke-chan asked excitedly.

"Even you."

"No." Everyone turned in shock to see Saki standing with her palms on the table. Her face was covered by the shadow of her long bangs. "I am not a kunoichi. I will not be training with you."

"You're right, Saki," Kakashi replied, voice devoid of emotion. "You aren't a kunoichi. You are a shinobi. I've trained you for years. I know your skills. Now is not the time to be playing games like this."

"I can't," she cried, shaking her head. "I can't do this."

"Saki-chan," Naruto whispered, touching her arm gently. "It's okay, baby."

"The only thing she's good for is getting fucked by that idiot."

"You bastard! Don't say shit like that!"

"All of you shut up," Kakashi demanded. "I'm serious, Saki. This is no time for games. How would you feel if Itachi came and captured Naruto because you couldn't do anything? Do you think he would go easy on you because you're in a dress? Don't you want to protect those that are important to you?" She looked up at him, stricken.

"Kakashi-sensei… I-I… Naruto-kun…" Tears began to leak slowly from her eyes in black streaks.

"Pathetic," Sasuke sneered.

"Naruto-nii, you should take Saki to get some new clothes to train in. Kakashi-sensei, the Avenger, and I can start training while we wait for you." Sasuke-chan smiled brightly at them.

"Saki-chan?" Naruto questioned tentatively.

"Yes," she replied shakily. "That sounds like a good idea." Sasuke turned on his heel and left the room without a word.

Naruto had been dragged out shopping with Sakura on multiple occasions and had hated every second of it. Women took far too long nitpicking at every little thing. Did it really matter what the pattern on the hem of their skirt was? And he swore up and down that there was no difference between pink and salmon. Those times though, he realized, were nothing compared to shopping with Saki. He attributed it mostly to the fact that she didn't want to be buying training clothes at all.

"Saki-chan, babe," he said gently, "it's been forty-five minutes. I know Kakashi-sensei is known for being late, but we really should get out there soon." He grinned brightly at her. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else on the planet than where she was. It made a part of Naruto want to grab her hand and tell her she didn't have to do it, that he would protect her, and she need not worry about anything. But the larger, more sensible part of him knew that she needed to at least assess her abilities. What if Itachi really did come? What if he was incapacitated somehow? He certainly couldn't trust the Avenger to save her.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered shakily. It took great effort, but the blond managed not to sigh.

"Why don't you let me pick out something pretty for you, okay? I've been with you long enough to know just your tastes." She nodded and allowed herself to be led to a chair by the fitting rooms. Naruto set about scanning the area as quickly as he could for anything that would make Saki even the least bit happy.

_Let's see… Too bright. Too loose. Not loose enough. Ugh, is this seriously meant for women?_

His already sour mood grew increasingly worse as garment after garment failed to meet his approval. It didn't help that the clerk kept giving him odd looks as he mumbled and griped to himself. After what seemed like forever, but was probably more along the lines of fifteen minutes or so, he approached the frowning Saki.

"Try this on. If you don't like it, I can always try again." He handed her a bundle of black cloth and sat as he waited for her to change.

_Please like it. _He silently begged_. Please like it so we can get going. This isn't even gonna be the worst part of the day._ He let his head drop into his hands and rested his elbows on his knees. _Kami, the training's gonna be even more unbearable._

The sound of the fitting room door opening perked him back up. When his eyes met with what was behind it, his breath caught.

"Saki-chan," he said, reverently, "you look beautiful." It was the truth, though it wasn't worth very much since Naruto thought she looked even more beautiful covered in blood and dirt in the standard jounin outfit, kunai in hand and Sharingan blazing.

"You really think so?" she asked tentatively, pulling at the black sleeves that flared slightly over her hands. Naruto really did know her taste. The kimono he had chosen was relatively short, ending just above her knees with an opening that allowed the freedom of movement necessary for high speed taijutsu combat. It was secured with a deep purple obi, and had form fitting black shorts that were to be worn underneath. He had also selected a pair of mesh stockings and matching black kunai and shuriken holsters. A pair of black ninja sandals completed the ensemble.

"Absolutely," he assured her. "Here." He dug into one of his pouches and withdrew the shinobi forehead protector that had manifested itself along with Saki the day before. He tied it carefully around her neck.

"Are you ready?" he asked carefully.

"Almost," she replied, reaching into the small clutch she had brought with her. She fished around a bit before removing a broach whose jewels glittered in the signature red and white shape of the Uchiha crest. She pinned it to her lapel and looked at it for a moment as it sparkled in the filtered sunlight of the shop. She took a slow steadying breath.

"I'm ready," she declared in a voice that was nearly confident. Naruto reached for her hand and tugged her gently into his arms.

"You'll do just fine, babe. I promise."

Naruto was glad that the afternoon with Kakashi didn't turn him into a liar. Saki did more than just fine. In fact, all three Sasukes performed remarkably well. The jutsu had apparently split Sasuke's body without sacrificing any of his abilities. Even the tiny Sasuke-chan was able to fight with three tomoes spinning in his red eyes. Saki frowned throughout their long session but performed two perfect chidoris as well as multiple fire based jutsus. She fought Kakashi hand to hand in a style that was clearly Sasuke, though a tad more graceful with the aggression dialed back. Sasuke-chan fought alongside her, giving the older jounin a run for his money as he lashed out in familiar moves spiced up by an impulsiveness that was rarely seen in Sasuke's previous training sessions, though regularly invoked during real combat situations. The Avenger, it seemed, had decided to stop talking to Naruto, choosing instead to convey his negative emotions by continually scowling and attacking the blond with all of his strength. He even went so far as to attempt to catch Naruto in a genjutsu that might have been terrifying had he not broken it just after glimpsing Sasuke's Curse Sealed form emerging from one of the nearby trees. The string of profanity that followed his failed jutsu didn't evoke a single word, only an even darker expression and a fierce Shishi Renden that would have knocked Naruto out had he not been able to switch places with a clone at the last second. The day ended as the sun set with Naruto and all three Uchihas lying in the grass. Kakashi looked down from the tree above them, the latest Icha Icha novel in his hands.

"I think that's enough for today," he said, just barely succeeding in making his voice sound as if he wasn't just as exhausted as the four younger ninjas below him. "I am pleased that all of you are still able to defend yourselves from enemy attacks. Remember to keep training despite this little… setback. Go home and have some dinner, then get some rest." He performed a few hand signs that instantly transported him from his perch atop the high branch to the waiting area just outside the Hokage's office. He rapped lightly on the door and opened it when a startled groggy voice called for him to enter.

"It was just as you suspected," he began without preamble, "All three bodies are capable of Sharingan and all the other skills Sasuke knows." Tsunade frowned and wiped at the drool that had collected in the corner of her mouth. She leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling, away from the mountain of scrolls and books that littered her desk.

"That's extremely troubling. We can't allow the Akatsuki to perform that jutsu on Naruto. It could mean the destruction of the village."

"Have you found anything that might help us counteract the justu's effects?" The Godaime rubbed her temples.

"Nothing." In that word, she sounded, for once, as old as she really was.

A/N: I can has reviews?


	4. Chapter 3

Sorry this chapter took so long. My hard drive corrupted and deleted everything, so I had to do a rewrite. Hope you all like it.

**Warning:** This chapter is where the rating goes up to M. From now on, there will be flagrant use of the f-word and boys loving on other boys. If this upsets you, do not read this. You won't like it.

**Chapter 3-                                                                                              **

Naruto eyes flew open and gazed into the inky darkness of the Uchiha living room as he tried to sense exactly what had woken him. Dim light from a waning moon trickled in through the large bay window on the far side of the room casting the figure sitting on its ledge into silhouette. The outline was unmistakable.

"Naruto-kun," came a soft hesitant whisper, "I didn't mean to wake you." The blond stood up slowly and padded across the floor to join Saki.

"It's okay," he whispered back, before sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. He had felt the need to be close to her more keenly than ever since his spar with Sasuke earlier that day. They stood there for a while, and Naruto tried to pretend the impossible situation they were in wasn't really happening, that he had just been roused from a particularly disturbing nightmare and Saki was just Sasuke's twisted way of showing affection, just like the guise had always been. His eyes squeezed shut tightly as he attempted to block out the faint chakra signatures emanating from elsewhere in the house that mirrored the person in his arms.

"Naruto," she breathed into his ear, "Come to bed with me." He leaned back and looked down at her in surprise. Never had he been allowed to spend the night in bed with Saki. He had supposed it was because Sasuke would be the one who woke up in the morning by his side, and that, he knew, was unacceptable. But this was different. Sasuke was sleeping in a different room, and if Naruto wanted to sleep curled around the person he loved most, he could, for once indulge in it. He nodded his head and allowed her to pull him by the hand to what he assumed was her makeshift bedroom.

Naruto was shocked by what he found inside. There was a black dressing table with various powders, blushes and oils strewn across it. A jewelry box to one side overflowed with accessories. Strings of pearls and dark ribbons spilled from the drawers and dangled down the sides. Next to it was a large bureau. It was open, and inside, Naruto recognized many of the outfits his dainty girlfriend had worn over the years. Trunks were piled almost to the ceiling nearby, bits of colored chiffon and lace peeking out through the lids. Heavy black drapes adorned the window, blocking out the glow of the moon as well as keeping prying eyes from seeing in. Beside the window was a large western style bed covered in opulent dark purple bedding. But most noticeable was the large mirror that covered a good portion of the wall at the foot of the bed. It was surrounded by a thick ornate black frame, and it was shattered as if someone with great strength had punched their own reflection.

"That happened recently," Saki said quietly when she noticed Naruto's eyes were lingering on the broken mirror, "I haven't had a chance to fix it yet." The blond turned to her.

"It's no big deal," he said with a mildly forced happy smile, "This is a pretty awesome room, Saki-chan. How long have you been working on it?" She blushed prettily, and Naruto felt his chest tighten. Sometimes he was overwhelmed by how much he loved her.

"For quite a while, Naruto-kun. I'm sorry I haven't brought you here before." Her fingers dug into the soft silk of her nightgown nervously. Naruto's smile came naturally. He flopped onto the bed and felt himself sink into the thick comforter.

"No biggie, Saki-chan. I'm just glad to be here now." _This is where you become Saki, huh bastard?_ he thought. And strange as it was, he felt privileged and happy to be in his lover's most private space. He straightened himself in the bed, laying his head on the heavily embroidered pillows. He stretched his arms wide and beamed as Saki came obediently forward, climbing gracefully into bed with him. He guided her head so it was lying on his chest. His fingers delicately stroked her hair, and he reveled in the feeling of her breath dancing across his skin.

"Saki-chan," he whispered, "you are so beautiful. You're the most beautiful, perfect girl I've ever seen. So soft, Saki-chan. So dignified. Everyone wants to be with you, but you're only mine. Only mine, pretty Saki-chan." She looked up through long painted lashes at her rambling boyfriend and smiled. Naruto's heart skipped a beat. She was even more beautiful and fragile without the dark and violent Avenger hiding behind her eyes. He sat up abruptly and cupped her white face in his hands. The hope in her eyes, the vulnerability reminded him of the first time he saw her again after Sasuke had left him for dead in the Valley of the End.

He did not get to drag Sasuke home like he had wanted. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The battle between Konoha and Sound had been raging for nearly an entire day. Orochimaru's hideout in Grass country had been discovered and ninja were everywhere fighting, dying. At the heart of it all were Naruto and Sasuke. They were fighting without speaking, having said everything they needed to say at the beginning of the confrontation. _I'll bring you home by force._ _You can try, dobe._ Nearby, Orochimaru and Jiraiya were having a fight of their own. The two sannin and their apprentices were causing such destruction that the rest of the ninja had given them a wide radius. All were fighting valiantly and with their maximum ability. Finally, backup from Konoha arrived on the scene. Jiraiya noticed, and in his moment of distraction, Orochimaru struck. The sword he kept within his body rocketed out of his mouth and embedded itself securely in Naruto's back.

"Sasuke?" he had whispered, confused by the blade protruding from his stomach. The rasengan that had been forming in his hand fizzled, and he fell to his knees.

"Sasuke?" he asked again, looking up at his rival who had frozen the moment he realized what had happened. His Sharingan had faded, and wide black eyes were staring in shock at the blond before him. He watched as Naruto lost consciousness and fell over to one side, the blade sticking out obscenely from his body. For a moment, Sasuke was still. Then his eyes bled red, and he let out such a god awful cry that nearly everyone spared at least a glance in his direction, Sound and Leaf nin both. Faster than anyone could process, he was behind Orochimaru. The sannin's head rolled to one side having been cleanly separated from his body. There was a large poof of smoke as the snakes disappeared after their master's death. When it cleared, both Sasuke and Naruto were gone.

Naruto had woken up in a hospital room in Konoha without knowing how he got there. He learned later from Tsunade that Sasuke had brought him. He had run all the way to Konoha with a dying Naruto in his arms.

"He said I could do whatever I wanted with him, but I had to fix you. I had to save your life if I expected him to suffer any punishment. The nerve of that brat ordering me around." The fifth hokage had tossed her head to the side in annoyance. Much to Naruto's dismay, she had punished the Uchiha. He was to be locked in prison for a year. Naruto had begged, pleaded, threatened, bribed, and flattered, but Tsunade would not let him see his jailed rival. The time went by so sluggishly, Naruto feared he would go crazy before he got to see Sasuke again. He kept his last memory close to him, Sasuke standing over him, his face contorted in fear and shock. Fear and shock because he cared about Naruto, because he didn't want the blond to die. He tried not to imagine Sasuke deep in the underground ninja prison, metal gloves on to keep him from forming hand signs and a blindfold tied tightly on his face.

One night, he was startled by the unexpected knock at his door. When he opened it, he felt his heart stop in his chest. It was Saki. The prison clearly had an effect on her. Her pale skin was paler. Her clothes hung loosely from her thinned frame. Under her eyes, he could see where she tried to cover large dark circles with makeup. For a moment, they stood there, silent and unmoving. He wanted to hate her. He wanted to scream and slam the door in her face, tell her to come back when she could be Sasuke, that it was Sasuke he missed.

"Naruto-kun," she had whispered, "I missed you so much." His heart had exploded to life, pounding so hard, he thought it might jump out of his chest. _Sasuke_ he thought, _I'm so happy you're home._ He moved forward, and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed her face, her hair, her neck, any part of her he could reach.

"Saki-chan," he said between kisses, "I missed you too. Don't you ever leave me again, babe. Don't ever leave again." In the five years since then, she had barely left his side. He saw much more of Saki than of Sasuke himself. It was frustrating at times because Naruto loved Sasuke so much. He wanted to touch him without the guise of Saki between them. He wanted to yell Sasuke's name out loud during the throws of passion instead of biting his tongue so hard it bled. Because though Sasuke may have fooled himself into thinking Saki was someone else, he never fooled Naruto. It was because of this that at other times, like in her bedroom with her alabaster face between his tanned hands, he could look at her and worry he might cry from the love he felt.

"Saki-chan," he whispered again before kissing her deeply, sliding his tongue past glossed lips. His hands wandered downward. The silk of her nightgown hissed softly under his calloused palms. He gripped at her strong, muscled thighs, her tight hard ass. Things quickly became heated as he pulled her on top of him and proceeded to try to devour her. He reveled in the small moans she emitted when he kissed her neck in just the right spot or grabbed her with just enough force. He'd had plenty of practice. He knew just what to do to get those delicious sounds to come from her.

"Naruto," she whispered wantonly. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her hair was becoming disheveled, a few pieces sticking straight up, unable to stay tamed during their romp. Naruto pushed the gown up until it was pooled around her hips and he could see a hard erection pulsing underneath thin black satin panties. He made a low possessive sound in the back of throat that made Saki shiver in anticipation and throw back her head in invitation. Suddenly, the door to her room slammed open, and Sasuke burst in. With unmatched speed, Naruto yanked Saki's clothing back into position and jerked her to the side, so he would be the one directly in the Avenger's view and thus suffer the whole of his wrath.

"Stop it!" the red eyed man bellowed. He reached forward and snatched Naruto by the shoulders, jerking him out of the bed. The blond fell ungracefully to the floor, catching sight of the straining bulge in Sasuke's pants before he was yanked to his feet, coming face to face with the livid Avenger. For a moment, Naruto thought Sasuke was going to kiss him harshly with all that anger.

"I can feel it. Understand?" Sasuke hissed instead, "I can feel it when you touch her. The other one probably can too. So fucking stop!"

He tossed an unresisting and shocked Naruto to the ground before turning on his heel and leaving in a huff, slamming the door behind him. Saki scrambled to her lover's side and threw her arms around him.

"Naruto-kun, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Did he hurt you again?" Naruto sighed and turned into Saki's embrace. He stood slowly and laid her back down on the bed.

"I'm okay, Saki-chan," he whispered. He gently stroked her hair and kissed her softly on the lips. He pulled the covers up and tucked her in like he had done to her young counterpart the night before. Then, he turned and walked resolutely toward the door, putting out the light on his way.

"Naruto-kun," she called as his fingers made contact with the door, "Things are better this way. It's better that we are apart. You and I can be together like you wanted now."

"No, Saki-chan," he replied with determination, "I will do everything in my power to get you back to where you need to be."

**A/N:** I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Reviews are greatly appreciated, as they will keep me motivated to rewrite the rest of the story. Also, the scene of Sasuke with metal gloves and a blindfold was inspired by an amazing fanart that got deleted along with all the other art I have collected over the years when the hard drive corrupted. If you know the image I am talking about, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.


	5. Chapter 4

Where have I been? I got married! I moved! I got a new job! I discovered I kick butt at crochet! Things have just been taking up my time. But I could never forget about this story. I am going to finish it!

On a side note, check out the rad NaruSasu Amigurumi crochet dolls I made. So cute! (Take out the spaces):

www. craftster. org/pictures/ data/500/ NStog .JPG

On to Chapter 4:

Naruto sat on the couch of the darkened Uchiha living room with his head in his hands.

_Why is everything so fucked up? That stupid bastard._

He squinted his eyes closed in stress. Light from the moon tiptoed in through the windows as stealthily as the home's owner. It silhouetted the branches from a tree outside into craggy, threatening fingers of shadow that stretched across the hard wood floor and ended inches from the blond nin's feet.

_Who am I kidding? Everything having to do with him is always fucked up. And he won't talk to me about it. The Avenger doesn't want to go back to normal. Saki doesn't either. Fuck! The only one of them that makes any sense is Sasuke-chan 'cause he said…_

Naruto's eyes flew open in realization. He leapt up and ran out the front door. The moon shone down unfettered onto the courtyard just beyond the wooden patio of the house. The trees leaned to one side in the wind, and their dark leaves rustled on the branches. The Avenger was nowhere in sight. Naruto put his palms together and let his senses drift out in search of the familiar feeling of Sasuke's chakra. There was Sasuke sleeping peacefully in his room. There was Sasuke pacing nervously in Saki's opulent bedroom. There was Sasuke in the private Uchiha training grounds, his chakra spiking in anger and frustration. Naruto turned and marched resolutely in that direction. He couldn't just let this pass. It wasn't like all the times before when he had slipped up and spoken of Sasuke around Saki, or vice versa. He didn't have to tiptoe around the existence of Sasuke's two personalities in fear of upsetting him. This time they really were separate. For the first time he could see their hatred for each other first hand. Sasuke was, without a doubt, Naruto's most precious person. Because of this, he had to reconcile them. Should the jutsu be lifted before he did, he knew he would probably never have another chance.

Naruto found Sasuke training in the small grounds under the moonlight. His pale skin lit up ethereally as he beat into a pole with vicious punches and kicks that caused splinters to fly off in every direction. Sasuke didn't look at the blond though Naruto knew he could tell he was there. He had not suppressed his chakra at all, and he could feel it moving out from him in heavy, invisible waves. Naruto's eyes narrowed in anger at being ignored.

"Hey, bastard," he called. Sasuke responded by punching the pole even harder, breaking it in two. The top end fell over with a loud thunk.

"Hey, teme, I'm talking to you!" Sasuke turned, keeping his back to Naruto, and began pummeling a different pole. Naruto grit his teeth in anger and clenched his fists at his sides. He moved slowly around to Sasuke's left. Chips of wood and droplets of Sasuke's sweat flew out at him, sticking to his clothes and hair.

"Damn it, Sasuke," he hissed, reaching out with unmatched speed to catch a kick just before it landed. Sasuke easily freed himself from the blond's grasp, flipped out of his reach, and finally looked over at him with swirling red eyes.

"What the fuck do you want?" he sneered, "Aren't you busy with that whore?"

"What the hell is your problem, Sasuke? Why are you acting like this?" Naruto demanded. Sasuke snorted at him and crossed his arms. He narrowed his red eyes and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"You only fuck her because you're a disgusting pervert. You get off on guys in skirts. How many other fags have you done it to while they were dressed like women? Or is it that you can't get a woman? You have to pretend that that thing in there is a girl because a monster like you can't do any better, huh, dobe? No real woman will let you touch them." His words flew at Naruto like carefully sharpened senbon, and the blond had to close his eyes and breathe deeply to calm his anger.

"As if I didn't know it was you, Sasuke." he said in a surprisingly controlled voice. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? You might have been able to pretend, but I never did. It's always been you, Sasuke."

"Shut up," the Avenger hissed, his glare darkening, "It was never me." Naruto felt like throwing up his hands in frustration. Why was this so difficult?

"It was you. Maybe not this side of you, but it was you." The blond strands of his hair seemed to droop under the weight of his emotions. "And, I don't care about that anyway, teme. I don't know the other sides of you like I know the Avenger." Sasuke snarled at his choice of address.

"You think you know me?" Sasuke whispered, his voice holding a dangerous edge.

"I do," Naruto insisted. He stamped his foot on the dry ground. Dirt puffed up in a small red brown cloud. "Saki has me and the villagers who accept her. Sasuke-chan had his family, who loved and supported him. It was you who shouldered the pain of being alone. You are so important. You're the biggest part of Sasuke. You're the part that makes Sasuke such an amazing ninja. I look up to you. You're the one that drew me into this friendship in the first place because you understand loneliness like I do. But you're only a part of Sasuke. We have to work together to make you whole again." Naruto started when Sasuke spit in his face.

"I didn't draw you into anything. As I recall, you forced yourself on me. And I won't go back to being a part of that thing. That slut is not a part of me." Naruto slowly wiped the saliva from his face and tried hard to hold his emotions in check. _He's just trying to start a fight with you. He knows that you'll shut up if you fight._

"Sasuke is Sasuke, right?" he tried. Momentarily, there was a flash of recognition on Sasuke's face. Naruto wondered if he was remembering his mother saying those words. He imagined her pale face looking like Sasuke's, smiling down at him, reassuring him that he was special, perfect, just the way he was. Naruto hoped that Sasuke was imagining the same thing. Then the Avenger's gaze became steely.

"Things are easier this way," he replied, uncrossing his arms and falling into a taijutsu opening stance, "Without them holding me back, I can focus on my revenge." Naruto lowered himself into an opening stance as well.

"And you call me an idiot. What good is life focused on revenge? Your clan is gone Sasuke. They wouldn't want you to waste your life this way." Sasuke's eyes burned with hatred.

"You know nothing about what my clan would have wanted," he bellowed. He shot forward at almost the same instant as Naruto. There was a spark as their kunai clashed together. Each pushed at the other. The metal between them screeched in protest of their temporary stalemate. Naruto decided not to let their fight stop him from trying to talk some sense into the Avenger.

"What about your friends, Sasuke? What about me?" Sasuke sneered at him. He smashed a kick into Naruto's left side. He caught it just in time, using the momentum to flip to the right.

"You?" Sasuke hissed, "Usurakontachi, I don't give a shit about you." Hurt flashed momentarily in the blond's eyes before they settled back into a look of determination.

"Yes, you do." Naruto responded seriously with a nod to reassure himself.

"You don't understand anything, dobe," Sasuke growled.

"I think you're just pissed because I know everything about you." Sasuke launched a punch at the blond's face, and he dodged it fluidly. Quickly, they fell into their regular fighting pattern, except there was so much more anger. The Avenger was lashing out viciously.

"I get you, okay. I really do," Naruto insisted as he dodged another flurry of kicks and punches, "This part of you I really get. I won't pretend to understand everything about you, but this anger, this I get."

"Shut up," he snapped back, eyes narrowing even further. He spun to the right with a fist aimed for Naruto's face. It was blocked by the back of the blond's hand, and he had to do a flip to avoid the retaliating kick coming at him. He punched again, undeterred.

"You're mad that we're here and not going after Itachi, right?" Naruto persisted even as the Avenger's attacks increased in speed and power, "How can you stay here in this village with me regularly sticking my dick up your ass, with you begging for it, while he's still out there?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke roared. He whipped around a kick aimed at Naruto's side. Naruto dodged, then returned a kick of his own.

"While your family lies in the ground unavenged?" he continued, ignoring Sasuke's comments, "What are you if not the Avenger, right?"

"It's not my ass you're doing it to. It's that thing in there. That abomination!" Sasuke was enraged, his chakra sparking with fury.

"It's you Sasuke. It's always been you. I know you were able to feel it, to feel me kissing you, touching you. Is it that horrifying that I have seen you at your weakest? Standing on my doorstep in a corset and bitch boots practically begging for me to take you back?" Naruto jumped backward quickly, and three kunai thunked into the ground he had just vacated.

"I hate you!" Sasuke screamed. They began to circle each other.

"You've said that before. I didn't shun you though, did I? I didn't slam the door in your face even though I had every right to since you punched a hole through my fucking chest! I took you back with open arms. And when you changed out of those clothes and came before me as Sasuke again, I still took you back. We sparred and argued and traded insults like you never left in the first place, like you never tried to kill me at all. I've let you pretend to be two different people for ten fucking years just to keep you happy."

"I'm not happy," he hissed as they continued to move around each other.

"I guess you're right, you goddamn bastard. I am an idiot dead-last moron. How could a person with a brain in their fucking skull possibly want to be with a head case like you?"

"I'm going to kill you!" Sasuke screamed, his face screwing up with hatred. The ground cracked beneath his feet as his chakra spiked.

"Heh. You said that before too." Their fight intensified, each of them flying at each other faster than the average human could keep track of. All movement ceased, however, when the sound of a thousand screaming birds filled the air. Naruto stood completely still and stared at the electric blue chakra around Sasuke's hand.

"Really?" he asked in a defeated voice, "After all this? You'd use that against me again?" They stood across from each other mutely. Suddenly, they both turned at the sound of a small cry over the din of the Sasuke's Chidori. Sasuke-chan was rushing toward them. He ran straight up to the Avenger and threw his small arms around the larger man's waist with little regard for the deadly jutsu sparking just next to him.

"No," he whispered fervently as the sparks singed the ends of his hair. "That's Naruto. You can't. Not again. It's Naruto." He whispered those words over and over. "It's Naruto. You can't. It's Naruto." The blond's eyes widened as he watched the Chidori deactivate. The wind had died down during their fight. The local fauna had fled from the chakra infested training grounds. There were no sounds except for Sasuke-chan crying. The Avenger fell ungracefully to his knees and buried his face in the small boy's chest. "That's Naruto," he repeated once again. The Avenger nodded and wrapped his arms around his smaller self.

Naruto was stunned. His mouth hung open lightly at the display. Glancing to his left, he noticed for the first time that Saki was standing a few feet away. Her nightgown hung around her like a stagnant weight buried beneath a heavy black housecoat. The sleeves hung low at her elbows as both her hands were covering her mouth, and her slim frame was shaking. Naruto wondered when she had arrived. Judging by her trembling, she had at least seen the Chidori and felt the Avenger's killing intent. His attention snapped back to the pair in front of him as the Avenger slowly stood. He patted Sasuke-chan's head gently.

"I'm okay now," he assured the young boy before turning and heading toward the house. He didn't look once at Naruto, but glared hatefully at Saki as he passed her. Sasuke-chan reached out and grabbed one of Naruto's calloused hands.

"I'm sorry about that," he whispered, "Sometimes he just gets so mad that he forgets all the important things." The blond felt his cheeks heat up slightly at the inference.

"It's alright. Let's just go back to bed, okay?" Naruto's anger had slipped away, and exhaustion had crept up on him. The young boy nodded enthusiastically at the idea, and he grabbed the blond's hand. He rushed forward and grabbed Saki's hand as well.

"It's okay to be afraid," Naruto heard him say softly to her as they walked toward the house, "He's afraid of you too."

Author's Note: Please let me know what you think!


End file.
